Baby Love, My Baby Love

We have just returned from an intense 2 weeks in Southern California, where we made a long planned trip to help out our son, Matt after his ACL replacement surgery. It will be at least a month before he can drive or lift 1 year old, 25 pound baby Caleb, so we volunteered to stay as long as we were needed (our daughter-in-law has a demanding job as a pharmacist with little time off). As the date of the trip grew closer, we began to get a little nervous, because Grandpa had pneumonia that just wouldn’t go away. After several doctor office visits and two trips to the ER, he was pronounced all well. But, in the mean time, my seasonal allergy symptoms were developing quickly into something more. By the time we got to SoCal, it was obvious I shouldn’t be anywhere near our son’s family. So the day of the surgery, I was quarantined to our hotel room until Lonnie could get away to take me to an Urgent Care (where I got antibiotics for bronchitis, sinusitis and conjunctivitis). Until my antibiotic had done its job, I stayed at the hotel, and Lonnie was the solo nurse. By the weekend, I was well (and no longer contagious) and able to help out. All was fine until Caleb, who had had a little cough all week, developed a fever and was diagnosed with bronchitis- and then pneumonia. Because he was sick, he obviously couldn’t go to daycare, so we got to be with him all day long all week. Not that I’m happy he was sick, but it was wonderful to have so much time with our grandbaby! I taught him every song and fingerplay I know, and it was so fun to see him soak it all up like a sponge! He is a very happy, bright, and active little boy- a joy to be with! And, of course, every day we were beyond exhausted.

Baby naptime is precious- and rocking him to sleep even more so! My arms feel empty! I took a nap yesterday and dreamed that I was pregnant- and then suddenly wasn’t- a very primal dream about motherhood and grandmotherhood! Both Lonnie and I mourn the loss of our grandchildren (and children) when our visits are over. When you start a family, no one prepares you for how much you will love your children- and then your grandchildren. And then you think about your own parents and realize how much they loved you too.

By the way, I hardly took any cell phone photos and didn’t take out my Nikon even once- the longest I’ve gone without taking photos. No time!